


The Book

by LeiaHope



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 20:07:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18724066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeiaHope/pseuds/LeiaHope
Summary: Hope loves hearing stories about her family from Henry’s book. One day, she notices that there are some stories her parents haven’t read to her yet, leading Emma and Killian to have a heartfelt conversation about the past.





	The Book

**Author's Note:**

> A little angsty, but lots of love and support.

It began shortly after Hope was born. Henry had arrived to meet his new sister, and when he was alone with Emma and Killian, he had presented them with a carefully wrapped gift. When they opened it, Emma’s eyes welled up with tears, and Killian felt a lump form in his throat. It was a book. THE book. Henry’s book that contained all of their stories. “I thought it was time I passed on these stories to a new believer,” he had smiled proudly.

Since that day, Emma and Killian had taken turns reading their story to Hope at bedtime. The beautiful illustrations of her parents falling in love never failed to make Hope smile. As she grew, they began adding more stories, telling her the tales of her grandparents, her godmother Elsa, and her beloved babysitter Granny.

One evening, when Hope was about two years old, Emma watched Killian finish reading their story to Hope and kiss her cheek goodnight. Hope hugged him tightly and whispered, “Good night, Daddy. You’re my fairytale hero just like Mommy.” She kissed his cheek, then lay down and closed her eyes, snuggling into the covers.

Killian paused for a moment, looking at their daughter. He reached down and gently patted her soft blonde curls that looked so much like Emma’s. Then Emma watched as Killian walked to Hope’s bookshelf and put Henry’s storybook on the very top shelf, as high as he could reach.

For the first time, something dawned on Emma. Killian always put Henry’s book on the top shelf. She hadn’t really noticed before, but thinking about it, she realized that was always the case. He always put the book as high as he could.

The next day, when it was her turn to read to Hope, Emma finished the story, kissed their daughter goodnight, and set the book on the dresser. She then walked to the doorway and watched as Killian said his own goodnight to Hope. Again, he picked up the book, and again he reached high to place it on the very top shelf.

And so it continued. Now that Emma had noticed it, she began to observe that every night, without fail, Killian made sure the book was put away on the top shelf. He’s being careful, Emma told herself. He wants to make sure the book is safe because it means so much to Henry and the family. But a tiny thought nagged at the back of her mind that maybe it was something else...

As Hope neared her third birthday, she grew more talkative and more inquisitive. She was extremely bright for her age and wanted to learn and know everything. “Why do you put that light on the car when you’re being sheriffs?” “Why do we need a magic bean to visit Henry but we ride in the car to visit Grandma and Grandpa?” “Why doesn’t Grandpa like Dr. Whale?” Every day, there were new questions.

And then one evening, Emma was approaching Hope’s bedroom door and heard her ask, “Daddy, there are more stories at the beginning of the book before the story of how Grandma and Grandpa met. We always skip those. Why?”

Emma stopped outside the door and listened anxiously. Killian was silent for a moment. Then he said quietly, “There are dark stories at the beginning of the book, little love. You’re too young for them.”

“Are they sad, Daddy? You look sad.” Hope said. Emma peeked in and saw Hope staring up at Killian with her bright blue eyes that mirrored his. She was touching his cheek. And Emma’s heart ached. Because she knew. She knew now for certain why the book always went on the top shelf.

“Very sad indeed,” Killian whispered, looking down. Hope threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek. “Don’t be sad, Daddy. You’re my hero.” She smiled brightly at him as she lay down and hugged her stuffed baby pink swan, closing her eyes.

Killian didn’t move. He just sat there looking at Hope. Several minutes passed. Finally, Emma walked up behind him and gently took the book. She carefully placed it on the top shelf and took Killian’s hand to lead him from the room.

She didn’t say a word and neither did he. Silently, she led him downstairs and out to the back yard, still holding his hand. The night was warm, a light breeze ruffling the leaves above them. Emma sat down on the patio sofa, and Killian sunk down wordlessly beside her.

“Are you ready to talk about it?” Emma asked gently, placing her arm on the back of the sofa so she could stroke the back of his hair in a soothing gesture. 

“Talk about what, love?” he asked, not looking at her.

“About the book,” she whispered. “And why it always goes on the top shelf.”

Killian still couldn’t look at her. “It’s like I told the little lass, Swan. Some of the stories are too dark for her.”

“And what about when she’s older?” Emma asked softly.

Killian looked down miserably. “Maybe Henry might want the book back before then...” he trailed off, the faint hope in his voice almost painful.

“Killian—“ Emma began, but he cut her off.

“She calls me her hero” he said in a rush. “She thinks I’m a bloody prince charming like your father, like the prince I pretended to be at our first ball.” He looked down again, and Emma’s heart hurt as she saw tears in his eyes. “What is she going to think of me when she reads those stories?” he asked, his voice trembling a little. “When she learns what her father really is?”

Emma gently cupped his cheek. “Killian,” she whispered. “Look at me.” She tilted his head up so she could look in his eyes. “Look at me. Hope is going to learn that her father IS a hero. That even though he had a terrible childhood, he loved his brother and fought at his side. And when his brother was taken from him by an evil king, he lost his way to the darkness for a while, but he was brave enough to change, to come back from that darkness, that he let go of the anger in his heart to become the good man he is today.”

“Swan, the things I did...”

“Are not who you are now,” Emma said firmly. “Your past does NOT define you, Killian Jones. And Hope will learn everything you’ve done to make amends for that past. She’ll learn you gave Ursula back her happy ending. She’ll learn you became Belle’s friend and saved her life. She’ll learn you became a hero who was strong enough to throw off the power of every dark one who ever lived and sacrifice yourself to save us all,” Emma paused, her voice catching as she recalled the horror of the day he begged her to stab him with Excalibur.

Killian gripped her hand tightly and looked into her eyes. Emma squeezed his hand in return. “Hope is never going to stop loving you, Killian. But you can’t hide those stories from her forever. We’ve both learned how much trouble secrets can cause.”

“Aye,” Killian responded, his eyes still glistening.

“When she’s a little older, we’ll read all the stories to her together,” Emma promised. “We’ll do this like we do everything. Together. As a team.”

Killian looked into Emma’s eyes. He saw only love there. Love, despite all the terrible things he’d done in his life. He touched her cheek softly, almost reverently. “Swan, how did I get so lucky to have you by my side?” he asked, a bit of awe in his voice.

“By always being by mine,” she responded. “No matter what.” She leaned forward and kissed him softly, tenderly. For several moments, they lost themselves in the embrace. Then Emma rested her forehead against his. “I love you,” she breathed.

“And I you.”

She smiled, “And don’t forget, you ARE a prince now, Killian Jones. Although you’ve always been one to me.”

Killian grinned. “And you’ll always be my Princess Leia.”

Emma smiled. Killian pulled her into his arms, and they sat together looking at the stars. They’d come a long way since that dance at Midas’ castle. Their story was part of the book, and those stories would be passed to their daughter, the good and the bad. Their pasts weren’t perfect, but their future was filled with love and promise. And Hope.


End file.
